To study the prevalence of tori amongst dental outpatients, the ethnic and sex variations in their distribution, and their clinical features. The School of Dentistry, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago. 667 consecutive dental outpatients representing three different ethnic groups of the country. Clinical examination for and recording of tori indicating their location, extent and clinical features and the age, sex and ethnic grouping of the patient. The overall prevalence of tori was 12.3 per cent. There were no significant differences in the prevalence among the African, Indian or mixed ethnic groups of patients examined. There seemed to be strong link between the coexistence of palatal and mandibular tori.